Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has declared three days of national morning beginning Monday after Sunday's powerful earthquake and tidal wave killed more than 4,400 people in the country.

"Today (Monday) marks the beginning of the three-day national morning. This is a human tragedy and I hope everyone will give assistance to the victims," Susilo said during a stop at the Hasanuddin Airport in South Sulawesi en route to Aceh and North Sumatra, the worst affected by quake and tidal waves.

When the 8.7-magnitude quake struck off Sumatra island Sunday morning, Susilo was in Papua to celebrate Christmas with victims of another quake that killed 30 people in the town of Nabire.

Source: Xinhua